Fixing companionway

[Troppo]

Here's a repair I am happy with.

The top of the companionway hatch (whatever it is called) was cracked which I did not think was an original design detail.

Cracked

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Examined the area with my usual great gusto for destroying the things I am trying to fix. Angle grinder and chisel revealed the cracks went all the way through to the space between the cabin roof and the liner. Ohh, not good.

Really cracked.

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Even the other side was coming apart.

+ more cracks.

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Now I was really worried as the more I looked the more it seemed my boat was falling apart. Epoxy to the rescue!

After preparing the cracks for being epoxied, I squeezed it in, clamped it, put on fairing and more fairing [Not all at the same time]. I was happy that the epoxy I squeezed in would have made those bits of wood glue together tighter than they had been for years.

Cracks going . . .

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Finally I finished fairing and painted it. You can still see it is not perfectly flat, but it is way better than it was. Also you can see the side wash-board holders have been epoxied then painted with Botecote clear paint for a hard UV protective finish.

Gone!

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[bornfreee]

Nice job Troppo, i wonder if the main sheet had anything to do with that? From memory parts of the roof on the later models had balsa core

[Ianb]

Certainly does look related to mainsheet load. The support pad under the track is designed like a bridge, but unfortunately the load is the opposite, and the shallow part in the middle will allow deflection and shear. But then again, someone standing right on the lip of the companionway can also produce a similar loading, but the opposite way. On second thoughts, it is more likely to be the latter load.

[bearmcnally]

Hi Troppo
I think ,but I'm not sure ? But some Mk 2 's had a small removable hatch to make it a little easy to enter and exit the cabin . If it was the mainsheet traveller you would have other stress signs around the traveller area .

Cheers Bear